Method, system and medium for process control for the matching of tools, chambers and/or other semiconductor-related entities

• US 20020199082A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwarm, Alexander T., Shanmugasundram, Arulkumar P., Armer, Helen
• Granted Patent: US 7,082,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/208
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/042 operating processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/03 according to the final size of the previously ground workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/18 taking regard of the presence of dressing tools
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 53/017 Devices or means for dressing, cleaning or otherwise conditioning lapping tools
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32053 Adjust work parameter as function of other cell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32065 Synchronise set points of processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31053 involving a dielectric removal step
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, system and computer program useful for producing a product, such as a microelectronic device, for example in an assembly line, where the production facility includes parallel production of assembly lines of products on identically configured chambers, tools and/or modules. Control is provided between such chambers. Behaviors of a batch of wafers (or of each wafer) are collected as the first batch (or each wafer) is processed by one of the identically configured chambers in one assembly line to produce the microelectronic device. The information relating to the behavior is shared with a controller of another one (or more) of the identically configured chambers, process tools and/or modules, to provide an adjustment of the process tool and thereby to produce a second batch (or next wafer) which is substantially identical, within tolerance, to the first batch (or wafer).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of converging, to a target setting, processing results generated by one or more semi-conductor processing entities, the one or more processing entities including (or itself acting as the) at least one comparably configured component, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) collecting data representative of one or more behaviors of at least one of the one or more processing entities, said one or more behaviors being collected in the course of the results of the one or more processing entities converging to (or attempting to maintain proximity with) the target setting; and

(B) sharing information, relating to the data representative of the one or more behaviors, with the one or more processing entities comparably configured with the at least one of the one or more processing entities from which the data was collected, wherein the sharing of the information facilitates the one or more processing entities receiving the data to converge to (or attempt to maintain proximity with) the target setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the information is performed on the processing entity on a wafer-to-wafer basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the information is performed on the processing entity on a run-to-run basis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the information is performed on the same processing entity, at a substantially later time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the information is performed on a different processing entity, at one of a substantially later time, or a substantially same time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting data includes measuring at least one device processed by the processing entity, and wherein the step of sharing includes adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the at least one device and prior to processing of a next device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting data includes measuring the at least one device in a batch of devices processed by the processing entity, and wherein the step of sharing includes adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the batch and prior to processing of a next batch.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on a same semi-conductor processing entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on at least two semi-conductor processing entities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sharing includes the step of modifying a recipe for the at least one comparably configured component.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-conductor processing entity includes an integrated metrology tool.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a separate metrology tool for the semi-conductor processing entity.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling the at least one semiconductor processing entity from a controller.

15. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for sharing of the information are performed on the processing entity on a wafer-to-wafer basis.

16. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for sharing of the information are performed on the processing entity on a run-to-run basis.

17. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for sharing of the information are performed on the same processing entity, at a substantially later time.

18. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for sharing of the information are performed on a different processing entity, at one of a substantially later time, or a substantially same time.

19. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for collecting data include instructions for measuring at least one device processed by the processing entity, and wherein the instructions for sharing includes instructions for adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the at least one device and prior to processing of a next device.

20. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for collecting data include instructions for measuring the at least one device in a batch of devices processed by the processing entity, and wherein the instructions for sharing include instructions for adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the batch and prior to processing of a next batch.

21. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on a same semi-conductor processing entity.

22. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on at least two semi-conductor processing entities.

23. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the instructions for sharing include instructions for modifying a recipe for the at least one comparably configured component.

24. The computer program of claim 14, wherein the semi-conductor processing entity includes an integrated metrology tool.

25. The computer program of claim 14, further comprising instructions for providing a separate metrology tool for the semi-conductor processing entity.

26. The computer program of claim 14, further comprising instructions for controlling the at least one semi-conductor processing entity from a controller.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the converging is performed on a wafer-to-wafer basis.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the converging is performed on a run-to-run basis.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on a same semi-conductor processing entity.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on at least two semi-conductor processing entities.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller receives data including measured results for the at least one device on a metrology tool, and wherein converging includes adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the at least one device and prior to processing of a next device.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller receives data including measured results for the at least one device in a batch of devices on a metrology tool, and wherein converging includes adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the batch and prior to processing of a next batch.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on a same semi-conductor processing entity.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on at least two semi-conductor processing entities.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein converging includes the controller providing a modified a recipe for the at least one comparably configured component subsequent to measuring of the batch and prior to processing of a next batch.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the semi-conductor processing entity includes an integrated metrology tool.

38. The system of claim 27, further comprising a separate metrology tool receiving devices produced by the semi-conductor processing entity.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on one semi-conductor processing entity, and wherein the converging is performed at a different time on the same semi-conductor processing entity. least one semi-conductor processing entity from a controller.

14. A computer program for converging, to a target setting, processing results generated by one or more semi-conductor processing entities, the one or more processing entities including (or itself acting as the) at least one comparably configured component, the computer program stored on at least one computer-readable medium, comprising:

(A) instructions, on the computer-readable medium, for collecting data representative of one or more behaviors of at least one of the one or more processing entities, said one or more behaviors being collected in the course of the results of the one or more processing entities converging to (or attempting to maintain proximity with) the target setting; and

(B) instructions, on the computer-readable medium, for sharing information, relating to the data representative of the one or more behaviors, with the one or more processing entities comparably configured with the at least one of the one or more processing entities from which the data was collected, wherein the instructions for sharing of the information facilitate the one or more processing entities receiving the data to converge to (or attempt to maintain proximity with) the target setting.

27. A computer-assisted system for converging, to a target setting, results of parallel processing of a plurality of semi-conductor entities, processed in an assembly line of semiconductor processing entities, comprising:

(A) a plurality of semi-conductor processing entities including the at least one semi-conductor processing entity, the at least one processing entity having at least one comparably configured component, wherein the at least one processing entity performs in parallel at least a portion of processing on at least one device of a plurality of devices;

(B) at least one comparably component on at least one of;

the at least one processing entity and another one of the semi-conductor processing entities;

wherein the at least one other comparably configured component performs in parallel the portion of processing on at least one other device of the plurality of devices;

(C) a controller, collecting data representative of at least one result of the processing of at least one device of the plurality of devices, on the at least one processing entity including the at least one comparably configured component, and converging the result of the processing of the at least one device on the at least one comparably configured component and a result of processing of the at least one other device by the at least one comparably configured component.

40. A computer-assisted system for converging, to a target setting, results of parallel processing of a plurality of semi-conductor entities, processed in an assembly line of semiconductor processing entities, comprising:

(A) a plurality of semi-conductor processing entities including the at least one semiconductor processing entity, the at least one processing entity having at least one comparably configured component, wherein the at least one processing entity performs in parallel at least a portion of processing on at least one device of a plurality of devices;

(B) at least one comparably component on at least one of;

the at least one processing entity and another one of the semi-conductor processing entities;

wherein the at least one other comparably configured component performs in parallel the portion of processing on at least one other device of the plurality of devices;

(C) means for collecting data representative of at least behavior resulting from processing of at least one device of the plurality of devices, on the at least one processing entity including the at least one comparably configured component, and for converging the behavior of the at least one comparably configured component.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein means for converging includes adjusting a process parameter for the at least one comparably configured component between processing of one or more devices in a same batch of devices.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on a same semi-conductor processing entity.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the at least one comparably configured component is on at least two semi-conductor processing entities.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein means for converging includes the providing a modified a recipe for the at least one comparably configured component.